It’s hard to miss Roosters, situated on the corner of Fondren Place and State Street in the Fondren Corner building. In fact, it seems such a natural part of the Fondren landscape that it’s hard to imagine it being anywhere else. But the original Roosters actually opened in 1984 on Roach and Capitol Street, and it saw many different locations and stages before coming to rest in its current home roughly 14 years ago.

Current owner Nathan Glenn recalls coming of age in the kitchen of the restaurant his father founded: “Instead of babysitters I was in the kitchen, washing dishes. Actually nine [year’s old] was the first time I cooked ‘line.’ They tied the apron up to my neck, stood me on a milk carton, told me when to flip the shrimp.”​With such a childhood, it’s not surprising Glenn would choose to follow in his father’s footsteps. Having been raised in the industry, he chose not to pursue formal education. Instead, he invested his time and money locally and opened a “new and improved” Rooster’s in Fondren. This would prove to be a prophetic beginning of Glenn’s career, which has been characterized by bold business decisions and a commitment to local Jackson development.